Writers find creative solutions to fill 150 pages

Deadlines approaching, pressure building, canceled, postponed; these are the familiar barriers challenging yearbook teams across America in this pandemic year.

How many parents pull out their yearbook, whether dusty from attic spaces or proudly displayed on a shelf to relive the glory days of the high school years?

The photographic memories collected in yearbooks are time capsules full of academic journeys, athletic feats, clubs, superlatives, headshots and the epic senior quotes.

Half a dozen yearbook staffers continue to fill more than 150 pages during a difficult year.

English teacher and yearbook adviser Melanie Portwood settles into her new role, taking on yearbook class for a second year. Portwood says the yearbook staff has learned to innovate in the face of an atypical year.

“Because of Covid-19, we have had almost no activities to cover for the yearbook,” Portwood said. “We have had to be very creative to fill pages, using more quotes from students, and so on.”

Overcoming non-ideal circumstances to produce a yearbook is no new experience for Portwood. While she says Fresno Christian provides a support structure, her previous teaching position at Three Rivers Christian School in Longview, WA, provided little assistance.

“At my old school, we had no budget, no school cameras, and our yearbook provider had no personal help,” Portwood said. “Here, we have several high-quality cameras, a good budget for equipment and Jostens is willing to come in person or help online whenever we need it.”

Together, the staff has worked to creatively reimagine the yearbook. With the help of Jostens and the campus advisers, yearbook captures the life and times of Fresno Christian High School during a global pandemic. 

Natalie Arndt, ’21, editor of the yearbook, talks about the team challenges and the changes due to COVID-19 in the following podcast. This year marks Arndt’s second year in the FCS yearbook class.

Now that 2020 is over, new beginnings and possibilities approach the staff hopes to advance their creativity and new ideas.

“My hope for my team as we enter a new year,” Portwood said, “is to continue to generate creative ideas for new pages, meet our deadlines, and produce a quality product that everyone will enjoy.” 

In place of postponed events, yearbook had to be more creative in finding new ways to fill their pages. Taking quotes from students to see their opinion on the new changes COVID has brought, gathering fun facts people did not know about Fresno Christian, the lives of students outside of school, and even dedicating a page on senior pets will appear in the 2020-2021 yearbook.

Yearbook began this school year slower than usual, but with help of the publishers giving the team extended due dates they are able to get back on their feet and finish this year strong.

Although they are filling their pages with many fun ideas and concepts, the pages are mainly being filled with their innovation and artistic abilities. These characteristics are the main source to what is carrying yearbook.

For more articles, read COLUMN: Student body president shares student leadership purpose and Amanda Phan leads international organization, creates community among Vietnamese students.

Maiya Esqueda can be reached via Twitter @maiyaesqueda and via email.